title: A Low Cost Metal-Free Vascular Access Mini-Port for Artifact Free Imaging and Repeated Injections in Mice.
abstract: Small injection ports for mice are increasingly used for drug testing or when administering contrast agents. Commercially available mini-ports are expensive single-use items that cause imaging-artifacts. We developed and tested an artifact-free, low-cost, vascular access mini-port (VAMP) for mice.
  
  
  
  Leakage testing of the VAMP was conducted with high speed bolus injections of different contrast agents. VAMP-induced artifacts were assessed using a micro-CT and a small animal MRI (9.4T) scanner ex vivo. Repeated contrast administration was performed in vivo.
  
  
  
  With the VAMP there was no evidence of leakage with repeated punctures, high speed bolus contrast injections, and drawing of blood samples. In contrast to the tested commercially available ports, the VAMP did not cause artifacts with MRI or CT imaging.
  
  
  
  The VAMP is an alternative to commercially available mini-ports and has useful applications in animal research involving imaging procedures and contrast agent testing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fiebig
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boll
authors.forename: Hans Ulrich
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Kerl
authors.forename: Ingo S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Noelte
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Groden
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Marc A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Brockmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D051379:Mice; D062666:Vascular Access Devices; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography